May I be blunt?

[shockey80]

Nobody knows shit about this virus, yet. The experts are in the early, early stages of learning about this virus. This virus has only been around for about 4 months. By listening to the experts I have learned this virus is unique. Nobody really knows what is going to happen next.

Everyday, the experts are learning more and more, however it takes a lot longer than 4 months to really understand a unique virus.

Hoping for a treatment that helps people survive the virus may make more sense than hoping for a vaccine. A vaccine may not be possible, nobody knows.

[larwdem]

1. I agree

100%

[unblock]

2. agreed. improvements in treatment are incremental and are already happening in small ways

we're already hearing small improvements such as flipping patients on their bellies, allowing blood-oxygen levels to fall lower than usual (if breathing is not labored) before putting them on ventilators, and ecmo (external oxygenation of blood).

such measures provide small improvements in outcomes, no silver bullet yet, but every little bit helps.

a vaccine can easily take years and may not be possible at all, moreover, *even with a vaccine*, people will still get sick (there's no reason to think a vaccine will be able to 100% eradicate this disease), so treatment will still be necessary and important.


realistically, i think we're going to have a long period where the economy is only "back to normal" for people who aren't high-risk, and very sheltered, cautious living for those who are, with lot of testing.

[kentuck]

3. It"s a good conversation to have.

They are now learning that there are at least 30 mutations of the virus. Also, it affects not only the lungs, but also the heart, the liver, the intestines, and perhaps other parts of the body.

Also, they have only recently reported that younger people are dying of strokes and that blood clots are found in the tubes.

You are right. There is much we do not know because the experts do not know.

It may be that it will take a generation to build up an immunity to this deadly virus.

Nobody knows.